


Lament of the Parasite: Part 1

by Empressing



Series: Lament of the Parasite [1]
Category: Lamento -BEYOND THE VOID-, Nitro+CHiRAL, sweet pool
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-08-22 09:39:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16595423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Empressing/pseuds/Empressing
Summary: A Two Canes imitator appears in the world of the Ribikia. An crossover where Tetsuo and Youji raise their child, it destroys the world and seeks beauty in the world of the Ribikia. This of course comes at a heavy price. Slightly thematically inspired by I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream. In this fic the purebred has 3 names: Tetouji, Onnushi sama and Junsei. Tetouji is used only by his family (chosen and bio), Junsei is really only used by high ranking cult members and Onnushi sama is for the general public.





	1. He It

**Author's Note:**

> Short first chapter. I am not sure where this story is going. Anybody else excited for the official english version of sweet pool? I am! :))))))))))))))))))))))

                         

                                                 **Leaks**

 It wasn’t expected, but it ravished the ribikia world just like it had the human one. At first the Ribikia fell at its feet, mistaking it all for the fabled two canes. It had a beautiful male face and black hair, its skin pale and eyes bloody red. The Ribikia lavished it with gifts and worship. This thing insisted we might call it a He. At first, we accepted but I knew something was off. The people of Ransen told it about me. It came to me in the middle of the night. It’s soft and innocent look not allowing me to strike it. I trembled, I was scared for the first time in my life. It said no words to me, it only held out a small chunk of flesh and gestured it to me. I smacked it away and its eyes pleaded me to take it. I broke the silence between us. Why did it not have its guard with it?

“ _Leave, deceiver.”_ It leaned into me, putting its head to my chest, clenching the meat.

 _“Please don’t reject me, dear Leaks. You are deserving of my flesh, none else are.”_ It spoke softenly and sweetly, the scent of it was tugging on my heart too. What was thing?

 _“I’m not going to eat that.”_ I snarled, and it sighed. Shui finally stirred from within the cottage and brought baby Konoe forth with him. It looked at Shui,

 _“A baby of sin and sodomy just like me, your feminine male is beautiful.”_ Shui gave me a confused look and the thing pulled away from me. It smiled at the sleeping Konoe, _“Can I hold him?”_ Shui held Konoe back and it pouted.  It turned back to me, “ _What can I do to convince you to take part in me?”_

_“Nothing.”_

_“Everyone has a price. I need you, Leaks. Your lovely feminine male and your baby.”_ The thing gazed down at the chunk of it’s own flesh it in its hand, _“If both eat this, I will grant all 3 of you life everlasting.”_

_“I have another son.”_

“ _Bring him.”_ I stepped out of the room briefly and came back with my sleeping Firi. It smiled and touched his little tail, I snapped at it, _“Don’t touch my son.”_ It made another sad face and held the meat in both hands, before speaking once more, _“All four of you. When they are old enough, they will come to me with their choice of forever mate and I will make them immortal as well.”_ It knew it was an offer only a true fool would refuse. I looked to Shui and he spoke to me,

“ _He is the new way, better us in his favor.”_ Shui looked weary and unsure. He was rightfully scared, he gave me a look that made it clear he had caved. It was patient, it had known we would resist. It had come with a deal, it knew me. I felt it’s power and knew I had met my match. Shui sighed and held out his hand: _“I’ll go first.”_ The bloody chunk was put into my lover’s hand and he bit down. He took a few bites. The bloody gushed from the sides of his mouth and it looked painful. He made a face like he was about to vomit on our baby. Swallowed and handed it to me. I looked and shook my head.

 _“I will hold Firi while you do it if it is too much.”_  I didn’t trust it with my son. I took a bite, at first a sweet taste. But as I swallowed the pungent iron made me choke. Every bite was painful and blood dripped all over Firi. His eyes looked at me helplessly. When I was finally done I breathed out and it smiled at me. _“Good, good, good! I am so happy. You all must rest up now.”_ It vanished into the night leaving Shui and I to detoxicate.

* * *

 

 Shui and I didn’t have sex for a long time after that. He became distant, only speaking to me in very basic ways. I was fearing he didn’t love me anymore. He spent most of his time with it, maybe he was now in love with that thing the way I was not. No, he definitely was. I heard all the rumors about Shui being seduced and adoring the thing. I was destitute but hiding it. I was nursing Firi with his blood milk when the door opened. It appeared instead of Shui. I looked to it,

“Hello, Purebred.” I spoke, that is what I was told it’s name was by Shui. It smiled and waved,

“Call me, Tetouji. You’re part my inner circle, so you call me by the name my mother’s family gave me.” Firi started to get cranky so I started to rock him,

“You have a family?” I questioned like it didn’t fucking terrify me to know its origins.

“Yes, mom and dad are alive. So is my aunt and cousin. Cousin’s also a name that includes my mom’s name.” Firi calmed down,

“Where are your parents? They must be wonderful to produce a great leader like you.” I faked it really well. This thing had stolen Shui’s affections from me, the last thing I needed was to give it a reason to try to take my children too. The thing sat across from me with a peaceful aura about it. It looked fondly at Firi. “My parents are great. My father is a bit of a jerk, but I love him. Mom is always sick but always takes care of me emotionally in the way dad doesn’t. Though I have taken measures to make sure he won’t die. If mom dies, I’ll be too heartbroken to go on.” _He won’t die?_ It must have misspoken,

“I hope your mother is able to live long.” I say, unsure if it is the correct thing to say and it nods,

“Mom is so strong, he’s a rare female carrier and he’s precious because I’m the first successfully purebred in many moons.” Tetouji chuckles. I am uncertain why it keeps referring to its mother as ‘he’. I must have not hid my confusion well because it continued to speak. “Mom is male, my kind can only be carried by men. Do not worry, I did not infect you. I can only be carried by _human_ men and Ribikia are not humans.” It smiles, “I’m not upset, Leaks. I would rather myself tell you than any of the numerous idiots I have encountered here.” I nod obediently.

“I understand, Tetouji.” I don’t say its name right because it is not in a language I understand. It chuckles. Tetouji smiles warmly at my baby and we sit in silence for a few minutes. I stand and put Firi in his little bed of soft hay, making sure he’s snug. I turn to Tetouji,

“I love the way you care for him, I knew I was right about you.” I sit back down and silently cast a sleeping spell on the baby. He should be out for the next few hours come hell or highwater. Tetouji bobs its head playfully before becoming semi-serious, “You may know what is going on already.” I look at him with sad eyes, but I am not defiant. He finds this reaction agreeable. “Shui is lovely but when I made love to him it was clear he is mistaking undying devotion for the romantic flame he has for you.” I clenched my teeth and my fist tighten. I want to fucking tear this thing apart for having sex with Shui. _Shui who is supposed to be mine._ “You are angry and rightfully so, Leaks. It was a mistake for me to try and make him part of my haram. Especially when he was already spoken for. I should stick to the bleeding heart beautiful singles.” Its eyes started to soften into something that could be mistaken for remorse. “When I look into your son’s eyes I know that the child needed has already been born. I am sending Shui back here, if he is to come to my castle, he is to only come with you.” He stood and left. My rage was boiling.

* * *

 

 I smacked Shui in the face so fucking hard my claws left blood marks on his jaw. He fell to my feet and began to weep. I censed Konoe and growled at him. My hate spilling over.

“I hate you!” I decreed into the night air. “I hate you!” Konoe began to cry and I used some quick magic to knock him out. He was 8 pounds of sleeping baby on my shoulder. Shui started to blubber,

“Leaks, he was feeding me a potion! I love you! I love you! I love you!” He clenched his chest and I turned around, charging into the house.

“You are sleeping outside from here on out and you are not allowed around my children.” I slammed the door as Shui clambered to stop me, he launched himself at the door and I heard the locked handle violently shake. I put Konoe down and soothed Firi. I enchanted all the windows sealed just to be sure. I heard Shui’s cries and I pulled the curtains to the babies’ room, as well as my own. I laid down and I heard pounding on the door and to the window. Eventually he worn himself out and I was able to sleep.

* * *

 

 Tetouji requested us a few ritual cycles later. I carried Konoe in a protective basket on my back and Firi in my arms. Shui followed me at a distance as we traveled to the abandoned stone palace where Tetouji stayed. I noticed the lush greenery of the forest. There were plenty of dead bodies to nurture the earth after all. Anyone who defied Tetouji was killed and there were a lot of dumb people. Tetouji had informed us that it loved our world and planned to keep it beautiful, as well as all the behaving Ribikia alive. IT said that it did not hate us as it did humans, it loved our cat ways in fact. The walk was silent as I entered the cold, emotionless, grey stone walls of the castle. We were led right up to the throne room by Meigi cats, who greeted me with warmth. Tetouji dismounted its throne and held out its arms,

“Let me hold the lizard.” I was without a feeling on my face as I let Tetouji hold my son. He made clicking sounds and bounced my son playfully, “He’s so cute.” Shui stood beside me, his eyes begging for something to be said about our relationship. It turned to us and saw the good six feet of space between us, “You are not in love anymore?” It said with a bit of sadness in its voice, “Why?”

“I believe he is a menace to my sons and I cannot have him around my babies.” I say coldly and Tetouji seems disappointed with that answer. It turns to Shui, “Do you see how you love Leaks now?”

“I do, I love him so much…” Tetouji turns to me. “He truly does, I know you think he cheated, but he was not sane enough to cheat. All the blood wine and how intoxicating us Sodomites are…he loves you. He has and always will love you.” He gestures to Shui, and I want my Firi back. 

“Please, Leaks, my love. It was a horrid, drunken mistake-“

“It was not a mistake, Shui. You were disenchanted by me because you loved Tetouji long before this. The wine was just the lube needed for you to open your disease hole to him.” I spit, and I can see my words tear Shui apart. Firi starts to be cranky and he is handed back to me. Tetouji sits back on its throne and watches use carefully. That man’s backside had been my ideal lovemaking entrance before this. Now I wanted him to die. He begins to well up again,

  
“I love you, I almost died for you so many times….” He puts his face in hands as his whole body begins to jolt with sadness. His muffled once comes more, “I have loved you for longer than you know, I was going to leave my wife to be with you…I gave my child’s life to you…” He crumbles to the floor and screams into his scarfs before looking at me. His puffy face strained, “You are my true love and always will be! I will never take another lover because you are the one for me! Leave me, Leaks, but I will always be yours!” Tetouji is growing tired of this,

“Please leave.” He says exhausted by us, “I don't need you distressing mom with your drama, come back when this is over.”  Apparently he wants us to meet his parents, but I couldn't give a damn less about his male mother right now. I walked out of that castle and Shui scrambles after me. I step into a portal behind a tree and vanish back home.

* * *

 

                   **Shui**

I am standing on this ledge. I am going to do it, I am going to kill myself. I have ruined my relationship with Leaks over that thing…I knew he was poisoning my wine and food with blood from the parasite hosts and aphrodisiac herbs. I thought I was invincible because my Sanga essence makes me a creature of light. I couldn’t have been more wrong. That night that thing mounted me I had been so drunk, and my blood had so much aphrodisiac in it that it almost killed me. When I woke up the next morning I started to cry when I realized what I had done. I couldn’t even look at Leaks I was so humiliated.

I was also being a horrible father to my son. Leaks took most of the burden. I was constantly running off to be with the other religionists and leaving my family behind. I was told by Tetouji that Leaks and my children were safe, but I still didn’t know if that was true. I looked up at the bloody moon and prepared to meet my death. I was a failure. I left a note for my son and one for Leaks. Letting them know exactly what happened and how I could never be sorry enough. I am Shui the arrogant coward. I looked over the ledge and breathed deeply. The jagged rocks below would be guarantee instant death. I turned my back and felt myself falling backwards for a moment. That’s when two hands caught me and pulled me forward. I opened my eyes and saw Leaks enraged face,

“What the fuck are you doing?!” I opened my mouth, but no words came out. My beloved’s face looked terrifying, yet I was happy for it to be the last thing I would see before I die. “You can’t die on me!” He flung me around into the safety of the grass behind him, still hanging onto me. _He’s making sure I don’t try to make a run for it._ He hissed at me and shook me,

“Leaks I can’t, I can’t….!” Here I was, crybaby Shui coming out again. I started to bawl the moon seemed to agree with me as a cloud passed. His grip was so tight that it was painful. “Let go! I accept your rejection! I don’t deserve forgiveness!” I struggled and that’s when his face softened to pure sadness. I was confused,

“You can’t die, I forgive you…”  He loosened his grip slightly

“W-what?” I asked,

“I realized that thing drugged you, I tested the wine it is providing…Shui even touching that stuff made feel light headed for a few moments. It raped you, Shui, that is why I am angry right now.” I nodded, hoping I wasn’t dreaming. He continued to talk, softening for me in the way I knew my lover, “This right here what is happening…is exactly what that thing wants. It wants me to surrender myself to it, so it might possess me like it has done the Meigi. Our relationship is a force that it had to tear apart because he knew I’d never do it if I am in love with you.” I looked into his eyes and his hands fell from me and I thoughtlessly put my arms around Leaks.

“Thank you, my love…thank you, thank you…” He was stiff before he hugged me back. He forgives me because it was rape. Maybe he was right, I was extremely intoxicated and the memory is a fuzz for the most part. You can't give your consent when you're that fucked up, right? I still felt guilty for being in that situation, however. I would have to deal with these feelings later, I needed my man right now. I nuzzled him and smelled him like he was the most beautiful flower. We stayed sniffing and rubbing up against each other for a few minutes. I started to think of our babies and he whispered,

“The babies are fine…I enchanted their room to protect them.” I felt at ease and I pulled away to cup Leaks face with both hands. His arms remained around my waist.

“I love you, only you.” He agreed, and I kissed him on the mouth. I knew things would be slow moving once again between us. But having his genuine forgiveness and affections back was enough for me. "What are we going to do?" 

"The only thing we can: we must keep our relationship in tact no matter what." 


	2. Fish Dome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shui and Leaks meet Tetouji's family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am seldom editing this because nobody is reading it anyway. It's really just me musing and playing around with the sweet pool characters. This is a red road AU set ten years after with Youji and Tetsuo having survived the birth of the purebred. In this fic all the sweet pool characters are older than Shui and Leaks. In the case of Makoto, only by two years or so. Thus, they all act calmer and grown up the majority of the time.

                             

                                                   **Leaks**

 I had learned how Tetouji got here, through interdimensional travel. It was a magic I had no knowledge of and which I could not learn without Tetouji teaching me. I dare not ask it, I was not close enough to it to ask to be allotted such power yet. The world it came from was a parallel version of my world. The difference was that it had changed, or rather, destroyed that world so that its kind could thrive there. It was supernatural and merely mocking the form of humans. That is what it insisted we call Two Canes: humans. I obliged because if it was the perfect imitation of a Two Cane, we were so very wrong about the way they looked anyways.

 It had informed Shui and I that we were going to go back to its home world to meet its parents. When I asked why its parents would want to meet us, it said that we were powerful Ribikia and it was sure its mom would like us. I had an almost suicidal curiosity about Tetouji’s parents: they were both real Two Canes after all. I was thinking about this as I changed Konoe’s diaper and cleaned his head with my tongue.

 I looked over to Shui. It was strange, we weren’t fighting but we weren’t really lovers anymore either. We had the occasional kiss, but he had not had sex with me or even gestured romantically to me very often. I knew he was being faithful, but the distance between us created by that thing…the damage seemed permanent. I hoped it wasn’t. I was going to see Tetouji’s parents tomorrow, I wanted to ask them about this situation. Maybe they could give me some much needed guidance. I picked up Konoe and started to rock him. Shui finally looked back at me,

“What do you think is going to happen tomorrow?” He said softly,

“Whatever it is, we are not prepared and never will be.” I said sternly.

“What does that mean?” Shui was careful with his words around me.

“It means that keep your arms or eyes on the babies at all times.” Firi wiggled his tail in happiness to see his parents talking. His eyes were darting between us and his fists were clenched. Shui held on a bit tighter to keep the 6 moon cycle old child from falling.  I wished I could be happy in the simple ways he was. Konoe fell asleep and I dismissed myself to put him in his room. I laid down the baby and kissed him on the head. He looked just like me with Shui’s fur, I loved it. It made me feel like he was really my son. Firi was my son too, but for a much different reason. I went back into the room where Shui was and put the old diaper rag in the bin, sealing the lavender stuff lid.

“Baby…” I stopped putting the baby powder away,

“What about the baby?” I asked and Shui made a face of sadness when I did.

“Not, Firi…you…” He said quietly. There was a silence as I put the changing stuff away. Firi clung to Shui and I left for the garden outback while Shui put the child to sleep next to his brother. I was hoping Shui would just leave me alone, but he didn’t. I picked herbs for tonight’s soup as I thought about Tetouji’s parents again. Shui stood there until finally talking, “Is what we are now? Just room mates taking care of babies?” I looked over at him with an exhausted expression,

“What do you want, Shui?”

“I want for us to be lovers again. These past few moon cycles you have not touched me once and the few kisses you have given me are like stone.” Shui had this way about him, he was very poetic, and it made for theatrics. He crossed his arms, “I can’t convince you to want me. I understand why you don’t want me. But Leaks, I can’t take living in the same space with you anymore if you aren’t going to be my lover.” I put my herbs in the brown sachet hanging next to the planters.

“What do you need?”

“You to love me for real. Not just giving me a kiss every so often, I want us to be having sex and having fun with our babies. None of that is happening-“

“Shui, we are being fucking ruled by a creature from another world who says it’s a cursed soul parasite in human form born from two men having grotesque sex. So fucking forgive me if I’m not in the mood to put my dick in your ass.” I snapped and Shui put his hands over his heart. His heart looked as though it had dropped into his stomach. He looked at me dumbfounded,

“So, you think I’m dirty and unlovable because I’ve been raped…?” Shui said with a broken voice and eyes on the ground. I shook my head, realizing my mistake. I stopped what I was doing and held out my arms,  
“I didn’t mean it like that…I’m sorry, come here.” He backed away from me,

“I’ll forgive you this one time if you really mean it…but you have to vow to love me again. The way I want.” He said that with deep conviction and I knew my nonsense had to stop.

“I will love you again, I promise.” He paused, and his eyes ran all over me before he launched himself into my embrace. I nuzzled his neck and purred softly, enjoying his warmth. He purred back, and his claws almost hurt me he held on so tight.

 

* * *

 

“Shui and Leaks I am so excited. My mom wants to see the cat people in person. ~” It chirped all around us as we stood in its throne room. Shui and each held 3 large bags of things, our valuables, clothes, and stuff for the babies. We didn’t know when or if we were coming back, so we took everything we needed and left everything we wouldn’t miss. We both silently agreed to not question our leader. Shui had protected Konoe in a large bundle of blankets. Firi was under a sleeping spell in the basket on my back. I had enchanted the basket, so it may only be opened by Shui and I, just to be extra safe. “You both are doing great, I assume? Oh, I heard you two engaging in sodomy when I tried to visit your cottage the other night.” _Engaging in Sodomy._ Shui and I just considered it sex because how else do two men have sex? Tetouji had told us being in involved in what he defined as ‘blasphemous same sex flesh indulgence’ was a sin in his home world. He had almost enjoyed how the Ribikia made no deal of homosexuality, if weren’t for the fact that his species existence hinged on it being a sin. It was a ridiculous, but ultimately useless argument to have with him. His reality functioned much different from ours. 

“Yes, Leaks and I are in love.” Shui smiled at me and I pointed my ears at him.

 “I hope one day you will agree to be wedded by me. ~” I looked around and noticed something off. None of the other Ribikia in the room were moving or excited.

“Who else is coming?” Shui asked, like he had read my mind.

“No one! No one, yet…just you two for now. Your homosexual extramarital emotional affair drew my kind wild just learning of it. It was enough to allow permission into the gate.” Shui and I engaged a look of guilt before we heard a large stone moving. We looked in front of us to see 3 Meigi pulling the chunks of stone in front of the throne out from the floor. They pull 4 of the heavy rocks and Tetouji collapses to the ground looking down in the gaping hole. He takes in a deep breath as blood seeps from his hand despite there being no wound. “Come here.” He calls us and we step forward. I gaze down into the hole to see…a pool of blood. It is seemingly endless. “This is the portal, well one of 3. This one lands in the safest location. Just outside of mom’s paradise.” I was scared, I realized I really wasn’t ready for what may come. Tetouji and I made eye contact, he saw right through my charade. “You go first, it will feel like you just taking a soft plunge through water and then you will be there.” I looked into the pool of blood, it seemed to mock me.

“Hey.” Shui spoke and when I looked at him, he kissed me softly on the lips. I suddenly felt okay, and I turned to the pool, taking the plunge.

 It felt exactly like Tetouji said it would, but it also felt like lives past me by. When I came out the other side, I landed softly on the ground and soon after I heard the soft thud of my mate next to me. It was the moment I opened my eyes that I really wished I hadn’t.

 What lay before me was a hellscape. There were destroyed buildings everywhere, the earth looked like it had been cracked like an egg in certain places. There was pulsating bloody tendrils that wrapped everything generously as they breathed, sucking the life from the ground. The sky was stained in a swirl of orange and red. It was warm, the air smelled of rich vanilla and hints of the iron of blood. The scents of sodomite eroticism. I breathed in deeply and then coughed. I felt Firi shift in his basket and his little wiggles were my only comfort. In the distance I saw a faint glow of something blue. Shui entwined our fingers and it spooked me because my focus had been so deep.

“Humans did put up a good resistance, but as you imagine, all who refused my mother and father, and more importantly me, are dead.” Tetouji walked in front of us and we followed it, hinging on its every word like puppets on strings. “I wanted to kill all the human females, but that was not an option. If there were no human females, there would be no one to carry more men. I was convinced of their role for the greater cause. Mom of course wanted his sister to live. Cousin will be infected when the time is right, because he is a beautiful male. She has been selected specifically to birth only males. This is because this is the only way a human can be directly related to mom; the hope is that they will be female carriers just like him.” Tetouji spoke so casually of destroying the world. He had an obvious hatred of human women, this was common of all the sodomites. We walked, the occasional tendril reaching for us. They were calmed by Tetouji. Shui and I were silent, taking this all in. We weren’t in Sisa anymore. I feared to admit I was powerless here.

 After what seemed like hours of walking through the hellscape, we came upon the light I had seen from before. It was a giant dome with fish swimming around what looked like a mini city inside. There were fish of all colors, they seemed blissful. I wasn’t even aware you could keep fish in such a way.

“The fish are in between two panels of unbreakable glass. It is the women’s job to care for it.” Tetouji said as he pushed open two glass doors and we walked inside. Konoe made a noise and Shui kissed his face. “My parents are going to want to hold Konoe, especially dad, he loves cats.” We agreed, not knowing what to expect. I looked around and saw bright signs, lots of people were on things that moved on wheels with no physical exert. There were stands open everywhere. Because of the blue of the fish trap around us, everything took on an ethereal glow. I looked at the faces of people walking around. The women looked normal, well expect for their lack of tail and ears. But quite a number of the men were gaunt with paled skin, the shadows on their face dark. This must have been the look of parasite infected humans. The lack of cat tails and ears was bothering me, but this was my new home. So I might as well just accept it.

We walked down the main road until reaching the residences. They all looked the same, dark grey unfeeling slabs. That was until we reached the end of the street to a house that was out of place. It was 4 story house made of dark wood with a wrap around porch. It wasn’t special by Ribikia standards, but here it looked lavish compared to the rest of the drabness. We walked up the steps and Tetouji took out a key,

“Mom and dad aren’t men of frills or flash. I wanted to build them a more stylish home, but this plain one seemed to be mom’s favorite. Dad just goes along with whatever at this point.” The door opened, and we were greeted by a dimly living room with red carpets, brown leather furniture; and someone with orange hair sitting in the arm chair. His back was to us, but he got up as the sound of the door closing caught his attention. He had the same facial shadows that the others did, but his expression really cheery…in an eerie way. He was in a blue sweater with a bizarrely patterned black and shirt underneath, along with baggy black pants. Tetouji smiled at him, but again, something was _wrong._

“This is Makoto, mom’s friend. He insisted Makoto be spared, despite his former problems. Mom is really fond of him, they need each other, so he is the help.” Makoto seemed indifferent to the exposition happening,

_“Can I touch you? Are your ears real?”_ His voice was in a similar octave to Shui’s and I realized how truly unoriginal we all are. I understood not a word of what he said, but he kept talking. _“Tetouji told us all about the cat people! I’m glad to see some in person.”_ We were suddenly the weird ones. I frowned but Shui helped me once more,

“Ah maybe, Tetouji’s parents touch us first then you.” How did he understand what this Makoto said? I felt left out. Makoto made a weary face, but he submitted by making eye contact with Tetouji.

_“I understand.”_ Makoto spoke quietly, my ears stressed to understand. He sat back in his chair. Tetouji turned to us,

“Time to meet mom and dad.”

* * *

 

                                                **Youji**

Tetsuo is sitting quietly at my bedside. I am sick right now, but not worried. He is reading something. Our son is coming home today and bringing the mythical cat people he spoke of. He isn’t one to make up such a lie, I trust him. I have to. The cat people aren’t so farfetched given the state of our own world anyways.

 I am avoiding interacting with Tetsuo. I still can’t believe we woke up from our bodies melting and found ourselves parents. The intention wasn’t to be a couple a first, but Tetouji’s birth made sure we would be together. At first, we merely moving our son between us two as needed. Then it was romantic again slowly, though my resistance was clear. Our engagement was one that nobody else understood. He seldom spoke to me, which was fine because he had been so keen on dying that he had never considered living with me. I didn’t hate him, it could have been argued I even loved him. Kitani discovered our child before we did, attempting to cart off with him. Once we had woke up, Tetouji’s supernatural connection to us kicked in and he darted to us. We knew who it was the moment we saw him, well, I did. He looked exactly like me. He had been born age 5, which was fine with me because I couldn’t take of a baby.

 When I told my sister, she was freaked but believed once she saw him. She quickly grew soft to him and she suggested Tetouji be his name. He preferred for the cult members to continue to call him Onnushi-sama, but I couldn’t call him that. He was my son, he needed to have name his family gave him. He was alright with this.  
 

 When the world started to end I was helpless to save the non-believers. Though my son mostly shielded me from the worst of it. Makoto was freaked out, I picked him to live. When I imagined him dying, it broke my heart. Tetouji accepted this and spared Makoto, during him into an Osu. It was unfortunate, but I was assured Makoto would be basically immune to damage. He was afraid of death that he accepted this fate, not knowing what it really meant. His body accepted the sodomites, unsurprising given the fact that the mere smell of me when he was a human drove him insane. Makoto was kind to my son, good to me and Tetsuo as well. Even though there was the possibility him being infected might have made things dangerous. It was alright though, Tetsuo gave him special potion (the contents of which I dare not question) that kept him from entering the mating cycle.

I listened downstairs as I heard the front door open and close. I heard voices in a foreign tongue, Makoto’s and my son’s as well. Tetsuo shifted slightly, and I looked at him. Does he still love me? I couldn’t tell anymore. I was afraid to ask. I had no ring on my right hand despite his promises to our son to give me one. It wouldn’t be bothersome if it wasn’t a sign that the chemistry was gone between us.

“Our son is home.” Tetsuo stopped my thoughts.

“I know.” The door knob jiggled and then opened softly. Tetouji appeared, two cat men behind him. One with red hair carrying a bundle of something and the other a blond with a long braid dressed in all black with a wicker basket on his back. Their tails moved as they stared at me in wonder, I was staring right back with just as much curiosity.

“Mom! This Shui and Leaks, they have their babies with them!” Shui was a name that sounded like might belong here. That name Leaks stood out though. Leaks was staring intensely at me, I pulled away from him to look at my son.

“Tetouji, welcome back I was worried.” My child, one of the few I am honest with. He leans down into my bed, we hug, and he kisses my cheek. I am glad my child, who caused me so much torment all those years ago, loves me for all my suffering. Tetouji looks at the ones known as Shui and Leaks, then back to me.

“Aren’t they neat? The blond is a sorcerer and the redhead has a magical singing voice. The most powerful singing voice of his kind. The redhead speaks some Japanese, but the blond speaks not a word. I will have to stay here to translate until he learns.” Why would my child leave again? “They are your gifts, they will live in the other house behind yours.” I looked to the cat people, they were very much people, just with cat stuff. I found them intriguing. But I also knew they were not property. I would call them ‘mine’ to amuse my son and to protect them from the outside, but they would never be opposed on by me. They were so distressed and confused, I didn’t blame them. The bundle Shui was holding began to squirm and meow, Tetouji gestured for him to come to me. Shui approached the edge of the bed, his tai flicking nervously. I wanted to touch him, to see if he was real.

“Can I touch you?” My son translates, then Shui sits on the bed beside me. I look into the bundle he is holding, and it is a baby cat person. It looks like the blond but has the redhead’s tail and ears. I reach out and touch Shui’s tail. It is real, exactly like a real cat. Tetsuo is watching us unblinking. Of the two of us, I was always the kinder one.

“I am Shui, this is my son, Konoe. Leaks is my mate.” His Japanese is weak, and his accent is thick. But I understand enough to respond.

“I’m Youji and he is Tetsuo.” I nodded once in Tetsuo direction and I could see the gears turning in his head. “Can I see your son?” Shui thinks about it, before slowly unbundling the baby’s head and arms. I sit up in my bed as he gives his son to me. The child looks at me with big amber eyes and I touch his ears. The baby meows at me, showing off tiny sharp teeth growing in. It makes me smile, but I feel Shui’s discomfort. He is afraid of Tetouji, but not of me. This was a common reaction. I look over at Tetsuo, who is devouring Leaks with his eyes. I feel a pang in my chest, I don’t want to be right. I give my attention back to baby for a few minutes, letting the child explore my hand before handing him back to his father. “He’s great.” I assure Shui. The blond cat is taking a second child out of the wicker basket, which he has taken off his back. This child is not a cat person, it has a green scaly tail and is albino. It is also older, about six months I guessed. The blond faces me and Shui stands. It is now time for me to meet baby number two.

“That baby’s name is Firi, Leaks says he is a child of black magic that he adopted.” I accept this like it isn’t a big deal, Leaks sits on my bed silently. He is stoic, kinda of like Tetsuo and I find him hard to understand. His baby is all smiles, his red eyes and tail wiggling, reaching for me like I am a new toy. My son says something in Leaks’ language and he gestures his baby to me. It’s rigid and defensive, like someone still trying to fight well after they know they have lost. I take the baby and sent him on my lap, my son speaks once more, “Careful, that one bites.” The baby grins and I see a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. He is playful and tugs at my shirt and blanket. He entrances me, the red eyes remind me of young Tetouji.

I hear a noise and realize I was so into Firi that I did not notice that Shui was showing Konoe to Tetsuo. My co parent was gentle suddenly as he made a love face at the cat person baby. He used to make that face at me, I wished for Konoe’s innocence to be preserved. I gave Firi back to Leaks because the blond was not hiding his annoyance. I gave him a nod as I turned to Tetsuo’s newfound favorite thing: Konoe. Soon Leaks and Shui have to leave to be shown where they will stay. As the door closes softly, Tetsuo hesitates before standing up to leave.

“Where are you going?” I lift my left hand up towards him. Am I really that much of a burden that even being around me in silence feels like a task? We engage a stare, the language he once spoke only for me is a foreign tongue now. He wordlessly leaves the room, I thought his hesitance meant he might kiss me or touch my hand. But as usual, I was wrong.

* * *

 

 After I wake up from my nap I ring for Makoto. He darts to me and opens the door. I look at him with gently eyes, he treats me like I’m still a human. I don’t know how I would go on if he wasn’t here,

“What is it, Youji?”

“I just wanted to see you, close the door please.” He smiles widely, genuinely. He obliges and comes around to sit in the chair Tetsuo was formerly. He lets out a sigh of relief and he becomes the chatter bug. I used to be mildly annoyed by his chatting nature when were younger. But I was 17 then, I am 27 now.  I have learned to love him as he is.

“Those cat people…Crazy, right?” He says in a light hearted tone.

“I like the red head.” I say sincerely. Shui was gentle in essence, he was just protective of his son and on guard in this new world. I didn’t blame him, he had every right to not trust me. He didn’t know me. Leaks too.

“That Leaks one has a weird baby, I wonder what the story behind that is.” Firi was the child’s name and the scaly tail had me wondering too. I would ask him once we were more comfortable with each other. My son told me their stay would be indefinite, as their powers were an invaluable resource.

“Both of the kids were charming.” My friend nods in agreement and I see how the years are getting the better of him. Makoto had never married and I seldom saw him with women. It was no mystery as to why, his life’s work was the running of the main temple. He was cheery, charismatic, sociable and very likeable, as well as close to me. But he generally didn’t talk about Tetsuo and me much. I think it was because he valued being close to us much more than winning brownie points with the masses. I liked that about him, he was always that way with me even when were teenagers. He was extroverted and nice, not fake.

“How are you feeling, Youji?” He touches my arm and I realize how deprived of an affectionate touch I’ve been.

“I’m feeling exhausted and I am also having some breathing troubles, but I think I will better enough to walk in a few days.” He squeezes my arm and I put my hand over his.

“Have you been eating?”

“No.”

“Do you want anything, Youji?” His voice is pitched up and happy. I know he is trying to not be a burden on me. I think about it,

“Not right now, but maybe in a bit. Something light.” He took cooking classes and got very good at cooking. I always enjoy his food. I look forward to dinner occasionally because of his talent. Tetsuo likes it too, even if he has never said it to Makoto.

“How is Tetsuo?” Makoto says,

“He’s fine.” I don’t know if he is fine. He doesn’t tell me anymore. I just assume he is because my doctor is still being paid which means he still has his job. Makoto and I look at each other, he knows my relationship is on the rocks and has been for a while now. Yet he is still respectful. I cough and he stands,

“Hey, I’ll bring your medicine and put something on for dinner, alright?” He grins, and he reminds me of a cheerleader for a moment. I give him a small smile back,

“Thank you.” He leaves, and my friend of 10 years is still being kinder to me than the father of my son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good thing I don't write to please a large crowd, right?


	3. Misreadings.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shui and Leaks have sex. Then Tetsuo and Youji stop having a relationship crisis to have another crisis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4 AM is officially back. Also if you see mistakes it's because I only semi-seriously edit these stories. They are just fanfiction after all. NSFW shuileaks because I make the rules.   
>  Yes, I'm aware Tetouji is commonly referred to as Junsei by the fandom. But Youji and Tetsuo do not refer to him this way as him being a purebred has become totally irrevelant in their parental love minds. He is merely their child, a combination of their flesh: Tetouji. Junsei is far too impersonal for them. Shui and Leaks get to call him Tetouji because you know exactly what is going to happen to Firi and Konoe.

                                Lament of the Parasite Part 3

                                                **Leaks**

I now knew that the thing was not beautiful out of deception, but because it looked like the man it called mother: Youji. Shui told me his name and then handed over our son to be man handled by the one known as Tetsuo. That one had been staring at me. We were then taken to a two bedroom home across from another home behind the main house of Youji and Tetsuo. It looked like a smaller version of Youji’s home. We took the rest of the day to settle ourselves. As the fish dome turned dark blue, we put our children to bed. I sat across from Shui who was giving a nervous look,

“Tetsuo was eating you alive with his eyes.”

“I know.” I said, cleaning my arms and head. Shui put his hands together, I was half naked, and he looked at me.

“I think he thought you were attractive.” I swiped my hands over my ears,

“The feeling was not mutual.” Even if Shui wasn’t the love of my life, Tetsuo was not attractive to me. He was bulky with awkward features and seemed to not be worth the trouble he demanded. Shui is staring at me as I am getting down to my underwear, so I can clean my legs and hips. There is a silence I don’t like, “What?”

“I’m just thinking, and your nudity turns me on, so there is that too.” Shui says trying to force a light hearted tone. He didn’t need to say it out loud. He hated the way Tetsuo was looking at me and I didn’t blame him. He had every right to be possessive of me after the shit we’ve caught up in. He and I knew damn well that if we didn’t hold onto each other tightly, it would be the death of us.

 Shui stood and started removing his own clothes. He climbed on top of me and kissed me hard, his tail flicking with anxiety. He grinded his hips against mine and touched down my chest, a silent plea: _Don’t reject me._ I kissed him back, grabbing a fist full of his hair as he moaned loudly. He reached down at started to stroke my cock. I bit his lower lip and he yelped, I touched his dick in response back and he thrust into my hand with a whine. It went on like this before he said breathlessly into my ear,

 _“Possess me.”_ His wish is my command as I take my hand out of his hair and put my hand around his throat, but no actual pressure. It’s a mock choke, I cannot actually choke him. Because if I were to, I might accidently kill him, and I cannot live with that. He tilts his head back as I move my body out from under him and he looks up at me with the most beautiful begging face. I then get behind him and grab his hands, pining them behind him and force him to lay on his stomach by pressing my knee into his lower back. I then open up his legs and lick my fingers, my hand props him and he whines, but I am gentle. He is still my love even when he wants me to do him rough. I unpin his hands and he digs in his claws into the couch cushion as I finger him. My erection is becoming painful and I take my fingers out. My penis slides into his loosened hole and feels like I haven’t had sex with him in ages. For the past few times, I was the receiver. He cries, _“Leaks.”_  I get comfortable and lower myself, so my lips touch his ears,

 **“Shui.”** I lick his ear and begin to thrust into him, he wriggles, and I grab his hair again in response. I pull his head back to nip and kiss his neck. He is curled up as he receives my ruthless desire. My free hand grazes his nipples for a few minutes before I grab onto his hips, so I go even harder into him. We make sounds of pleasure before I slam into him, a powerful orgasm comes over me so hard I buck and let go of Shui’s hair. I pull out of him and find myself fallen to the floor. There is an afterglow until our breathing returns to normal. Shui looks down at me,

“You still love me, right? You don’t just have sex with me because I’m something that is there?” He almost ruins my ecstasy with his nonsense. I tell him something I don’t tell him very often,

“I love you.” It gives me tingles to admit such a thing, but he smiles at me sweetly with his lovely blushing after sex face and it makes me feel like I am a little girl with a crush. He crawls down from the couch to nest our naked bodies together on the carpeted floor. He purrs as he lays his head on my chest.

“Leaks, darling, can we get married?” I make a face at him and sit up,

“What?”

“Married, I want to call you my husband.” I wasn’t comfy with the idea, but my mild discomfort was not worth hurting Shui over.

“Why is being your husband so important?”

“Because I love the way it sounds…do you not want to be married…?” Shui’s eyes were searching my face for answers. I thought about,

“Yes.” Shui’s face lit up,

“You mean it, Leaks? Will you really be my husband?” I nodded and Shui pulled me in an aggressive hug, laying kisses all over my face and neck.  That’s when we heard a knock at the door and Makoto’s muffled voice followed,

“Tetouji wants you to join him and Youji for dinner!” Shui yelled

“Ah yes! We will there in about 5 minutes!” I heard Makoto jog away from the door and Shui turned his attention back to me,

“My fiancé Leaks.” His purr was overbearingly loud as he laid on kiss me. When then got up, got dressed and headed back to the main house.

* * *

 

                                                **Youji**

My son was sitting at the small table across from me as I sat in bed. When Tetsuo declined to join us; the heartbreak must have been thinly veiled because both Makoto and Tetouji suggested we invite Shui and Leaks. Makoto had made some light vegetable and fish soup. He had obtained nice bread too, but I declined that for now. Makoto didn’t sit with when Tetouji was with me, I suspected it was because my son was a bitter reminder of the state of things. Makoto was nice to my child and helped Tetsuo with him when I could not but kept his distance. He knew how to get what he wanted: a connection with me. I never faulted him for this, he had wanted to be connected to me since we were teenagers. He now knew me inside and out, yet still stayed beside me even when I was expressing the grossness of being a Mesu. Having Tetouji didn’t get rid of the female parasite’s expression within my body totally, it was a yearly nightmare. But the good news was I would never attracted another Osu in a serious way because I would never be fit to birth another purebred again. I had done my obligation.

“Leaks, Shui.” My son spoke, and the cat men entered. I liked them, I decided. Tetouji explained to me exactly what they were and specifically why Leaks is the way that he is. I deeply empathized with him, he knew exactly how I felt. They sit at the small, round table to the left of the door where their meals were. They smell of sex, but they don’t know they do. They have the faint sweet smell of being connected to my son’s spirit via flesh ingestion and of heated animals. It is a reminder that they are more than just humans with extra bits. My son told me that they were the only cat people he had given a piece of himself to. When I looked at my child’s body, I believed him. There was only a faint scar on his hips where he had carved the piece.  

“Hello, Tetouji and Youji.” Shui says, his tail curling and his neck covered in the marks of sex. When I was younger, I called it ‘lovemaking’ but nothing about being a sodomite was romantic love. I mean, I was convinced at the time all this had brought me to Tetsuo because he could never find happiness with a woman. I was meant for him, he was meant to love me. _I was the only thing that could satisfy him_. Now I think if I wasn’t a Mesu, he would have never had ever noticed my existence. It hurt worse that my body melting into a fleshy egg for Tetouji’s birth.

“Hello, Shui.” I give him a small smile. His energy and red hair remind me of Makoto a lot. It makes him favorable. “Leaks as well.” I look into the amber eyes of the magician. Magician means something totally different in the land of the cat people. He wasn’t pulling rabbits out of hats, we performed necromancy and veiled his home in elaborate invisibility cloaks.  Leaks’ stare is intense, it has tones of a life that has passed me by. “I hope one day you will learn Japanese, so I can speak to you too, Leaks.” My son puts down his spoon to translate and Leaks speaks back to me,

“I read your books, learning Ribikia would easy for you too.” I ask my son what that means. He explains that Ribikia is very similar to Latin and says that if I’m offended, to just ignore him. I do not wish for my son to punish this cat, so I tell him it was innocent. Besides it’s not like learning Ribikia would be a half bad idea, it would give me something to do and I’d no longer have to pick apart Shui’s accent.

“Come back and teach me later.” I say to both of them, Shui smiles and squeezes his mate’s hand.  I wonder what he is thinking, was I always this worried about the opinion of others? I don’t remember…no, it’s not the general public, it’s these two. My son is eating Makoto’s bread eagerly, it reminds me of when I was a dumb teenager and was surprised that Tetsuo ate food. I longed to be like that again sometimes, my life was a bit easier. I can’t think like that, I wouldn’t give up Tetouji for that. Just as things are wrapping up, Tetsuo comes in the room. I tilt my head up in acknowledgement of him, Tetouji reaches out and squeezes his arm,

“Hi dad, glad you came.” There’s a more pressing matter, what is he doing here? I was almost positive Makoto delivered his dinner to him when he didn’t want to eat with us. Granted, Makoto never asked, I always told him. It was his way of keeping Tetsuo at arm’s length. He taps our son on the head and pretends I don’t exist for whatever reason. Shui and Leaks are staring, they sense the energy. Whatever is in that magical cat blood of theirs, it’s like our relationship is stripped bare before them. I am relieved to have someone else know, since my son is blissfully unaware of the total lack of romance between us. However, I am scared because I want Shui and Leaks to like me for me, not because they pity me. And my non-existent contact with the father of my son despite the fact that he lives in the same home with me and I still love him.

I watch him carefully as approaches Leaks and says something to him in what I can only assume is either very basic or broken Ribikia language. Leaks apparently understands it enough to respond. My son translates:

_“Come with me.”_

_“Why?”_

_“I need your help.”_  Shui puts his hands together in the fashion of prayer and exchanges a silent exchange with Leaks before the grumpy cat stands. He follows Tetsuo and disappears into the hallway. Shui then turns to Tetouji and I, a nervous expression across his face. He is totally unsure and so I am, I can only offer reprieve:

“It’s nothing bad, I promise.” Tetsuo personally tormenting me was the only thing left of our connection and I’ll be fucking damned if someone is going to rip it from me. Shui finishes his meal and stands up, he comes to sit at the foot of my bed. Tetouji moves the table we were sharing away from the bed and goes over to Shui. He puts a hand on the cat’s forehead and Shui closes his eyes with a slight flinch,

 **“Leaks is a great cat, my father knows what he does.”** My son takes his hand off his forehead, squeezes my hand for a brief second and goes. I am left alone with Shui, I ask him something important,

“Where are your children?”

“Asleep, they’ll be asleep until mid-morning tomorrow. Leaks puts spells on them.” Shui fidgeted, before speaking again, “I wanted to ask you something, Youji…”

“Ask me anything.” I said, watching his tail move across the bed.

“Is there anything I can do to help you?” Shui said, uncertainty racking his face.

“I have Makoto, so I will be fine.” I assured him, and he shook his head,

“Not in that way.” A silence fell over us and I realized he was asking if he could help me with Tetsuo. But he was a cat person, not a sodomite, what did he know about the matters of love between Mesu and Osu?

“You can’t help me.” Shui finally made eye contact with me. His green eyes were stunning, and he had the gentlest face. There was not a mean bone in this cat man’s body. I realized I was being defensive for no reason.

“Youji, I know it’s hard to imagine now, but when I was 19 season cycles, I married a woman.” Season cycles? It took me a moment to process that, I realized that must have been Ribikia for a whole year. They didn’t have a numerical calendar with months like we did. They didn’t have a real calendar at all, they went by the seasons and by the shifts of the sun. Shui continued as I considered the absurdity of numerical time. “We were married for about 3 or so season cycles when I met Leaks…I just fell in love, hard. I loved him more than I had ever loved my wife. My point is, Youji, if I could find the strength to make it work with Leaks, I can help you.” I brushed Shui’s little heart to heart off. I appreciated the gesture, but I bet their love story didn’t involve being coerced into sex against the school fence in the pouring rain.

“Shui, you’re kind, but I mean it. You don’t get Tetsuo and I, neither does Leaks. “I shut him down and he nodded before standing, he smiled warmly at me,

“Leaks will warm up to you, it’s nothing person, it’s been like that since I met him. I’ll tell you his story someday.” Shui left, presumably to go be with his children. Shortly after, Makoto appears flustered as he takes the dirty dishes and nearly runs out of the room. I clap the lights off and go to sleep.

* * *

 

                                                **Leaks**

Tetsuo was being weird. He had taken me to his boring study room filled with books about nothing and everything. His reading glasses rested on a Ribikia language book. Why was he learning my tongue, but not Youji? I was annoyed, that Youji…he always seemed like he was suppressing something.

“I want to ask you about your relationship with your female male.” Tetsuo said,

“He’s not a sodomite, he’s just my mate.” Tetsuo looked at Leaks before continuing on.

“What is it about him that you like?” What the fuck was this? Why in the hell did Tetsuo care what Leaks liked about Shui?

“Why do you care?”

“Because you have the personality closest to mine so surely you can answer why someone would like a hyperactive redhead.” Leaks was quicky realizing there was nothing subtle about Tetsuo. He wasn’t like his son or Youji, he was a fucking brick wall of unfiltered fuckery.

“Shui is whimsical not hyperactive, don’t run your mouth about him.” I would take a lot of shit, but Shui is the love of my life and I would defend him.

“Whatever word you want to use doesn’t matter, I still need answers from you. What do you like about Shui?” Tetsuo seemed pressed about the issue and that’s when it clicked in my mind. Tetsuo thinks Youji might be having an affair with Makoto,

“He isn’t cheating on you with Makoto, you can calm down.” Tetsuo was now making intense eye contact with me.

“What makes you believe that?” Our eyes are locked in a battle for dominance,

“Because he isn’t very good at hiding how upset he is that you are ignoring him for no apparent reason.” Tetsuo seemed thoughtful before responding,

“How do I know for sure?” His tone was suddenly not so soft around the edges,

“You have a kid together, Makoto has been here the entire time. If he was going to have feelings for Makoto, it would have happened a long time ago.” I waved my hand.

“The way Makoto acts makes me agitated.” I felt weird giving relationship advice, but I did have two children and a forever mate. Maybe I wasn’t so unqualified as I thought.

“If Makoto does have feelings for Youji, they are one-sided and he’s not making any moves on your husband.” I said not thinking about it,

“He’s not my husband.” Tetsuo said quietly, as though that was the only thing he was getting out of this whole exchange

“It doesn’t matter to me. What I am telling you is that he will get tired of your avoidance eventually. Believe me or don’t.” There was a pause that was awkward and filled with Tetsuo not knowing what to do with me. I turned and left, he didn’t stop me.

* * *

 

                                        **Youji**

My door quietly creaked open and shut, I was tired and chose to ignore it. I assumed it was my son checking up on me. I rolled over and then I felt the touch of a hand on my face. I batted the hand away, but it fell right back on my face, along with a weight on the bed. There was only one person this aggressive with me. I rolled over, I peeked open my eyes and saw the faintness of Tetsuo’s head resting on the edge of the bed.

“What do you need?” I said half asleep. He caressed my face, before climbing into the bed with me. He laid facing me. I almost couldn’t believe it, after almost a year of no love. Here he was, loving me again. He just stared at me with those unreadable eyes for a few minutes before speaking out into the quiet darkness,

“I’ve been with you a long time.” My eyes fluttered with sleepiness,

“Yes, you have.” Our voices were blending with the night. Even though we first fell in love as teenagers, we were adults now. The brashness and the harsh realities of our youth were fading increasingly with the passage of time. He moved closer to me and kissed me on the forehead, “Why do you suddenly want me again?”

“You were always one to make wild assumptions. I always wanted you.” I sighed,

“You are so honest for someone with no facial expressions.” I responded back, my eyes closing. I felt his lips against various parts of my face before kissing my lightly.

“There is another problem, Youji.”

“Can it wait?”

“No. It’s about Makoto.” I nestled myself into Tetsuo’s chest, his warmth being just as great I remembered,

“What about him?” I really didn’t care right now because Tetsuo had somehow renewed his love for me and it was the only thing that mattered.

“I don’t know how much longer I can stave off his urges.”

“How is that your problem?” I asked, coming off much ruder than I intended, I wasn’t one for words.

“It’s a problem for us because you are Mesu.” I yawned and sniffed his neck. Ah yes, he still smelled sweet. The way a proper Osu smells to the Mesu.

“Why? I can’t reproduce anymore and you’re an alpha.” I was getting irritated, I was tired, and he was ruining my love haze.

“That’s the problem, you can, just not with me.” I plucked at his shirt aimlessly,

“Let’s worry about this later please. I’m tired and this is the most you’ve paid attention to me in a really long time.”

“We’re talking about this over breakfast.”

“Okay, okay, just let me sleep.” I closed my eyes and stopped talking. I was comforted knowing that another mating ready Osu being around me still drove possessiveness. Even though I had done my duty as a Mesu long ago, he still claimed me as his. Whatever Leaks said, perhaps he really was a magician.


	4. Mother's Flesh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad shit.

                                     

**Youji**

I was happy to shower with Tetsuo. I falsely believe he was going to have sex with me, but I better be careful what I wish for. I coldly reminded myself of unrelenting and barbaric our sex life was before. He did hug me in the shower and kiss me. It almost made me forget the past year of playing with my heart. We would discuss what he wanted first, then I would have serious questions to ask him. I had narrowed it down to 3: why did our love life suddenly go away for a year? Why did he opt to talk to Leaks instead of me about it? And what exactly did Leaks say to change his mind?

I was in a dark blue turtleneck and grey pants. I was happy that I was feeling mostly normal again, my hair was still damp and sticking to my face. I was sitting across from Tetsuo on the balcony that came from our master bedroom. The table was clear glass and reflected the blue of the fish dome. I had a glass of cold water and he had black tea. It felt normal. There was a comfortable silence as I looked over the busy megacity. I knew the world outside of here was destroyed for miles around. I had to not think about it, the sodomites needed a place to express themselves and breed. I looked at Tetsuo and he started talking,

“How do we address the Makoto problem?”

“What problem again?” I was half asleep when he mentioned it and had already forgotten the details.

“I don’t know how much longer I can stave off him entering the mating cycle. Unfortunately, even if you are no longer an ideal Mesu, you are still a Mesu.” He took a breath and sip of his coffee. “I fear for your safety.” I thought about my response. What was I supposed to do? Losing Makoto would hurt me, but I knew that since the start. “We can either consider abandoning him to outside along with the others who are entering the cycle, or we can find a Mesu, let him mate in a place where he feels best, and die.” I clenched my cup of water.

“I want neither, but the first is definitely a no. He isn’t trash that will die within 2 months like those on the outside.” I thought about it more and a horrible thought came over me. I looked him in the eyes, “Is the reason you have been avoiding me is because you have found another Mesu and are considering dominating him as well to shove it Makoto’s face?” It was a word vomit and I trembled a bit in instant regret. There goes my cool and collected approach.

“Are you insane? Fuck no.” He said, and his eyes were considering me, “Even if I did know of another Mesu, which I do not, no fucking way am I almost dying again. The first time was the most terrible things I ever experienced and I felt love for you. I can only imagine how much worse it would have been if I didn’t feel anything for you.” I felt my face go a little hot, I was not used to him saying the word ‘love’. That was just not how we functioned as a couple and never has been. I looked down in shame. What has this past year done to me? There was an awkward silence and Makoto came through the sliding glass door to serve us breakfast. He put the plates down in front of us,

“Shui has invited to see their babies so I can learn childcare! See you later!” He disappeared as I fiddled with my eggs,

“He feels it coming on. I will try to use the strongest version of the elixir I have tonight.” Tetsuo said dryly, while taking a bite of his food. I ate tiny bits of my food, but I mostly stared at him. When he was half way done, I spoke up,

“Why have you been doing this to me for so long?” Tetsuo sighed and looked out over the cityscape,

“I thought you were cheating on me with Makoto.” I resisted the urge to throw my cup of water at him,   
“What the fuck?! You’ve been depriving me of intimacy because of some affair you completely made up that you think I’m having with my friend of 10 years?! You’re insane!” I was so pissed I felt like I might burst, I took another swig of my water and stood up, heading for the door. He made strides after me and grabbed my hand from leaving, “Let go of me! I am so angry!” Unfortunately, he was still much stronger than me and he swung me around, grabbing me my by shoulders. Resistance was useless, I could only not give him the pleasure of seeing the emotion in my eyes.

“Youji, I am sorry. It wasn’t right, and I realized what I have done.”

“Why should I believe you? Apparently, I’m so untrustworthy you just make up crazy stories about me for no reason.” I heard my heartbeat in my ears. He huffed,

“I am sorry, I want to make it better. I am here now.” He let go of me, “I’m 26 years old, I should know better than to act like this.” I was about to say something when I felt another presence. I looked over to see my child’s red eyes that were full of confusion. Tetsuo and I stared at him helpless,

“Tetouji…” I said gently, he stepped forward.

 **“There is no affair, stop this immediately. On top of that, I will handle Makoto under the parameters of mom’s wish to keep him alive and around. You need to work on this.”** My son’s chilling cold and calm tone let me know one thing: Tetsuo was now going to be humiliated, keeping Makoto quelled had been one of his divine duties. For such a task to be revoked by Tetouji or as the main church called him, Junsei, would be shameful. Tetsuo looked at me like I should stop our son from doing to him. But no way, in fact, some shame would be good for Tetsuo. He would actually have a consequence for his actions. Tetouji turned to me, his expression softening and his tone followed, **“Makoto is no threat to you, mother Youji. His adoration of you transcends any habits of our kind.”** He left humming something ominous. Tetsuo was grieved in expression as our son left.

“Leave if you want, Youji. I hope you’ll forgive me.” I couldn’t seem to dart away from him fast enough. I was in love and heartbroken, craving him for nearly a year and this is the explanation for it? Fuck it. I was going to join Makoto as he romped with Shui and Leaks’ family.

* * *

 

                            **Shui**

When Youji came to our home he looked pretty upset. Tetsuo must have said to him what he said to Leaks last night. I opened the door and Makoto was having a great time interacting with Firi. Since he was the older of the two babies, he was much more active. Leaks was pleased to find that that Tetouji had at seemingly been paying good attention because there was a mini garden with supplies in the back. That was where he was now, setting up the herb garden. Makoto was on the floor tending to Firi’s playfulness Youji and I sat on the couch. I smiled at Youji and was eyeing my tail,

“Oh, you want to pet me?” I flicked my tail onto his lap and he began to stroke it. I was happy that my tail was actually useful to someone. From being around humans, I understood why we originally didn’t have tails. They were totally useless. Makoto turned and Youji frowned at him, I bent my ears back in worry,

“What is wrong, Youji?” The older man sighed and then seemed to think for a minute,

“Never mind…” Makoto gave Youji a look I didn’t understand before saying something,

“I know, Youji. Kill me in front of the congregation if I ever hurt you.” Makoto said it so seriously before looking at me, “You know the deal, right?”

“I am Ribikia, I do not understand.” This is the line Leaks taught me to get out of comfortable situations.

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Makoto went back to Firi who was pawning at his shirt, leaving me to sit with that ominous line. I was reminded that this was not my place and that I didn’t belong here. These people were only nice to me because they knew that if they treated me cruel, Tetouji would punish them. And I was almost positive Makoto was intimidated by Leaks. I was so weak on my own, without Tetouji and Leaks I’d be a sitting duck. No amount of strumming my lute or writing songs about my deeply misunderstood love for Leaks would change. The thoughts started going a mile a minute. If Leaks wanted to marry me he would have already asked me to do so. I had caught him, I knew he wouldn’t say no. I had to call it off, I was such an idealistic dumbass. 

Leaks appeared from the outside to wash his arms and hands off. He went in the bedroom to change out into fresh clothes. Konoe was asleep. That was the luxury of a newborn, he was always sleeping without any help from his father. Firi flopped his tail loudly on the floor when Leaks entered the room, excitement spreading across his face. Leaks noticed Youji,

“What are you here for?”

“You know why.” Youji glared at Leaks, “Why did he say it to you first? What the fuck is going on?” My beloved gave Youji disinterested expression before replying,

“How the fuck should I know? I don’t have any stake in your relationship. I wouldn’t have gone in there if I had known he was going to ask me that shit. I don’t know why he didn’t just ask Tetouji, your son would have known better than I ever would have.” Youji huffed as he couldn’t continue this argument. Leaks was right, this whole thing was Tetsuo’s doing. I knew my Leaks, he wouldn’t have gone in there if he had know the reasons why. I looked to Youji,

“Hey…I’m sorry about what happened. I don’t know your relationship, but you should try to talk to him.” Youji gave me a flicker of a cynical smirk.

“Stop trying, Shui. I’ve already told you no.” That caught the attention of Leaks and Makoto,

“Stop what?” Makoto asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Worrying about me.” I was defeated and now Leaks was glaring at Youji. He came over and offered me his hand, I took it and asked me to come attend to Konoe with him. I followed loyally, the moment we were out of view of Makoto and Youji, he kissed me on the forehead and nose. Konoe was still fast asleep in his crib. My heart pitter pattered, he was centering me, not letting me get worked up because Youji was being an ass. It was the moments like this in which his love was the most obvious. Even more than we had sex. He stroked my hands and I bumped foreheads with him. He spoke in Ribikia to me and not just any Ribikia, he made sure to use proper Ribikia instead of just the usual everyday stuff. Jargon aplenty. He was making sure that Youji and Makoto didn’t understand a word he was saying,

“You cannot make his partnership with that inept fool he calls a mate your problem.” He spoke calmly, and I looked into his eyes, I pecked him on the lips,

“I want to talk to you anyways.” He pressed his index finger to my lips,

“Can it wait until the crowd clears?” My Leaks’ eyes were utterly bewitching, I really had met my other half. I nodded, and he put his hand back down. When we walked back into the living room, we saw Tetouji holding Firi. I felt nervous, Tetouji made squeaking noises and whispered unintelligible things into the baby’s ears. Makoto and Youji sat beside each other, looking down for some reason. Tetouji seemed to be the only one with any glee. Leaks and I looked at him before he spoke,

 **“Don’t be so nervous. I do know all, but it is what I chose to care or remember that matters. Believe me, I do not care about whatever you two were doing.”** He said not even bothering to look away from Firi. Firi turned his head to look at Leaks, his favorite person and giggled loudly. **“Ah yes, I love when parents instill love and affection into their children.”** Youji and Makoto’s seemingly shamed silence was starting to become eerie. There was a few minutes more of it before he spoke,

“Junsei, I can’t.” Makoto said in a pleading tone, those red eyes then flooded with a terrifying command,

“ **You must! By ingesting the flesh of the Mesu you will quell your insides.”** I was shaken up by that and I wanted to cease Firi. I was frozen in place, my god, he was so open about what would happen. Tetouji turned to me, **“You are coming to church today, right?”**

“Church?”

 **“Yes, I must show the cat man sodomizers in all their glory.”** I rubbed my fingers over my palms and said nothing. **“Let us all go together right now.”** Tetouji readjusted Firi on his waist. I gestured to Leaks and he went to go get Konoe.

“Right now?” Makoto asked.

**“No better time than the presence…say Leaks, does he have something for pain.”**

“Ah, yeah!” Youji was still as I went into the kitchen. I dug around the cabinet before coming across an older looking bottle. I uncorked it and smelled it, yes this was the one. A pain killer that could cure a migraine. When I came back, Leaks had swaddled baby Konoe and was holding an empty baby basket. I offered the bottle to Tetouji who then pointed at Youji, he looked up at me and I leaned down to whisper,

“You won’t even feel it.” He nodded, even though those words were not super comforting. He took a swig off of it and I gestured to drink more, then a little more. I looked to Leaks and nodded. That should be enough. He placed the bottle on the table beside him. We all followed out in an orderly fashion behind Tetouji.

* * *

 

                                            **Leaks**

I never liked admitting emotions that made me feel vulnerable. Love had been the primary one, but right now it was fear. Tetouji claimed to love his ‘mother’ yet seemed to have no qualms about hacking a piece off him. I was almost certain Tetsuo didn’t know. The guy, despite his tendencies, was very protective of his Mesu. I hoped that Youji could forgive his co-parent, they needed each other the way Shui needs me. I hold Konoe and he mews with a yawn. I speak something to him and he stares at me with eyes that say _love me._ We come upon a large, gothic, ornate church and the first thing I notice is whispering. There is nobody outside however. I try to locate the sound with my ears. As we get closer the whispering only gets louder, I could never hear people this well before, why now? But as Tetouji opens the double doors, I look to find that the whispering is still there, but no one is talking.

“Majesty Junsei!” The crowd says all together. Everyone basked in his glory in silence, the whispering still goes on. I can feel eyes on me too, I remember Tetouji is holding my son. He is excited as everyone gives him curious stares, I smile at my baby, who is looking at me from over Tetouji’s shoulder. Tetouji sits us down on the left front row bench. I sit on the outermost seat with my basket beside me, Shui beside me then Youji and Makoto. Tetsuo is nowhere to be fucking found, of course. Tetouji hands Shui Firi, who sits with his back against Shui’s chest and has to be stopped as he attempts to stuff his fist into his mouth. Konoe whines and I hush him, fuck I forgot milk. This baby is going to be cranky crying with hunger by the time this is over.  We look up at Tetouji as the sermon starts.

 **“People of the congregation…our arranged talk is going to be cancelled today in favor of a more…informational act.”** Makoto is gesturing something to Youji, who shakes his head, I do not understand. **“As you all know, Osus and Mesus are beings who divinity is only outshined by my own. As we all know, Youji, my mother, is a Mesu. His body created me and has the ability to create again. However, he does not want to nor need to do so, for I am here. As you may recall, his caretaker, dear Makoto is an Osu. Not Youji’s Osu, but an Osu none the less.”** Holy fuck why was he giving all this backstory? Didn’t everyone here already know this? I opted to try to find the source of the whispering one more as Tetouji’s continued. I looked down and saw tiny fleshy sacks crawling all over the floor, attempting to latch onto me. I kicked them away in disgust, **“In order to keep this from happening, our dear Osu Makoto must consume Youji’s flesh to quell his hunger.”** I looked over to see Makoto on the verge of tears and Youji was pale with fear. They both rose and stepped onto the stage next to Tetouji. From seemly nowhere, Tetouji pulls out a blade. Youji’s arm is snatched from his side by his child and held out. The blade taps against the bicep and Youji cringes. **“On your knees, Makoto.”** Tears begin to fall from Makoto’s face as Tetouji sticks his knife into Youji’s flesh, blood drips down. Shui cries out,

“Oh my goddess! Oh my goddess!” My beloved puts his face into my neck and he covers Firi’s eyes. Konoe cries in my arms as Tetouji saws across Youji’s flesh. That’s when a door slams open from behind the stage and Tetsuo comes running out.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” He grabs his son’s arm violently and the handle of the blade is sticking out of Youji’s arm.

 **“Dad, stop, you know what must be done!”** Tetsuo throws his son back and grabs the knife out of Youji’s flesh. Youji then crumbles to the floor and Makoto tries to use his hands to stop the bleeding. Shui and I are dumbfounded. Youji groans and Tetsuo begins to argue with his son,

“That’s it! Church is over, everybody get the fuck out!” Tetsuo is actually showing an emotion right now: unfiltered rage. Shui and I are the first to dart out just as Konoe begins to scream.  


End file.
